Corset



Dec. 12, 1939.

J. J. KISPERT CORSET lullll-nvlll- I'll" I INVERTOR Jase 4i: f His 40f 2Sheets-Sheet l hll r Filed Oct. 14, 1938 J. J; KISPERT CORSET Filed Oct.14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Dec. 12, 1939 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 13 Claims.

This invention relates to corsets and more particularly to corsets ofthe type having a vest for holding the corset in place prior to lacingthe body thereof.

In corsets of this type the vest may be made of elastic material or mayconsist of a front panel attached to the body by an elastic web or webs.It has been found, however, that the elastic, coming in contact with theflesh; causes perspiration and that body acids tend to attack theelastic and injure the same. In order to reduce the perspiration andalso to make the garment lighter, the vest panel may be attached to the-body by spaced elastic strips. In that event, however, the flesh tendsto bulge through the spaces between the strips. This not only producesdiscomfort, but prevents the proper positioning and action of thecorset.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improvedgarment of the above type in which the above mentioned disadvantages areeliminated. a

Another object is to provev a'novel and improved garment of the abovetype which is light in weight and in whichthe'elastic portions areshielded from contact with-the flesh'so that th life of the elasticisgreatly increased.

Another object is to provide, in such a gar-Hf ment, means for renewingthe above mentioned:

elastic when desired.

A further object is toprovide a garment of the above type having aninner flap attached .tQ 'thd? body which is adapted to cover theelastlc-po'rtion of the vest and to shield the same from contact withthe flesh. I

A still further object,

is to provide means to prevent the inner flap from rolling or wrinklingwhen the body portion is pulled togetherin I side-lace corset andthatthe lacings can be re- 1, lacing.

together in lacing.

A am further object is t8 provide a strata pended hereto, the inventionmay be better understood by referring to the following descrip- A stillfurther object, is to prov'lde time to; causing the inner flaps to slideovertheyvest, with the outerflaps when the advantages will be tion,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which certainembodiments thereof have been set forth for purposes of iilustration.

In the drawings, a

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a corset embodying the present invention,illustrating the same as applied to a person, with the vest fastened tohold the elastic under tension and with one of the front flaps pulledopen to show the con- 10 struction thereof, the stitch securing theinner and outer flap together being shown as broken to release the frontflap.

Fig. 2 is a similar-view showing the front flaps closed and the garmentfully laced;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the garment with parts broken away to show theconstruction of the vest;

Fig. 4 is a section takenon the line [-4 of Fi Fig. 5 is a partialdetail view showing a dif- [ferent embodiment of the invention in whichthe inner panel is held by an elastic attached to the vesty n I Fig.1;isa similar detail view showing fur a ther embodiment of the inventionin which the vest is held-by elastic lacing and in which the frontpaneiis-turned back to expose the same.

In ,the fol1owing description and in the claims, certain'speciflc termsare used for convenience so in referring to various details of theinvention. It is to be understood, however, that these terms are to begiven as broad an interpretation as the staterof the art will permit.

In the accompanying drawings the invention shown-as applied to a frontlace corset. It -is to .be understood, however, that the invention mayalso be applied to a. back-lace corset or a placed by other suitableholding means, such as 4,

V buttons, hooks and eyes, snap fasteners or the latteriare pulled like,the lacin'gs being referred to for convenience in designating this typeof garment and not by way of limitation.

Referring ,to. Figs. 1 to 4, the invention is 46 shown as applied to acorset l which is of the usual and standard construction and maycomprise a pluralityof fabric panels 2 (Fig. 3) which are constructedand arranged to encircle the body of the wearer when the corset is inplace. 50 The .corset may be provided with top and bot tim gussets 3 and4 respectively of elastic material or certain of the panels may be madeof elastic materiaL'it being understood that this portion of the garmentis a standard and usual construction and forms no part of the presentinvention.

The body of the corset terminates at edges 8 and I, outer front flaps 8and 8 being attached to the body at the edges 6 and I respectively orbeing formed as a continuation of the body portion. These flaps 8 and 9may be provided with the usual hooks 18 at their free edges which areadapted toreceive lacings II in the usual mannet. It is to beunderstood, however, that the hooks I8 may be replaced by eyelets orother fastening means if desired. The hooks l8 preferably extend overthe upper portion of the free edge of the flaps 8 and 9, at whichportion stays l2 are provided to hold the edges in shape. Below thebottom end of the stays 12 .the garment may be provided with a pluralityof eyelets II which are adapted to receive a lace [5 ofstretchable'material, such as rubber. It is to be understood, of course,that the eyelets H could be replaced, if desired,.by other means such ashooks, for holding the stretchable lace.

The vest portion of the garment comprises fabric .panels 28 and 2 I,which maybe made ofcloth or' other similar material and are provided attheir free edges Hand 23 respectively with cooperating fastening means,such as posts 24 and straps 25 Other separable fastening means,

such as hooks and 'eyes, buttons, snap'fasteners, or' the like may,however, be used. These free edges'ar preferably also providedwith stays23 which hold the vest in shape. The stays may terminate at a pointabove the bottom of the vest to provide the necessary flexibility of thegarment to accommodate the different positions of the wearer. The vestpanels 28 and 2| may be attached to the body of the garment at the edges6 and I by aplurality of elastic strips 28 and 29 respectively, formedof suitable material, such as rubber'or lastex, and preferably spacedapart so as to provide ventilation between the strips as well as reducethe weight of the garment. The strips 28 and. 29 may be attached to thevest pan- .elszo and 21' andto the edges 6 and 1 of the body portionbysui'table rows of stitches;

Thebody' portion is also'provided with a pair of inner flaps 38 and 3|which are attached to the edges 6 and 1 respectively or are formed as acontinuation of the body portion. The flaps 38 and 3| are madesufficiently long to overlie the elastic strips 28 and '29 when thestrips are extended to their position of maximum stretch. Suitablestifiening members; such as stays 32 and 33 may be positioned alongat'least the upper portion of the free edges of the panels 38 and 3| re-:spectively so as to hold the same in shape.

The inner flaps 38 andv3l are preferably coextensive with the frontflaps 8 and 9 and are attached thereto at the bottom and top edges, asby suitable rows of stitches, so as to form pockets in which the vestportions are adapted to slide.

The vest panels 28 and 21,111 the embodiment shown, are provided withopenings 34 and 35 respectively which are elongated in the direction ofstretch of the elastic strips 28 and 29. The inner flaps 38 and 3| aresecured to the outer flaps 8 and 3 respectively by suitable means, suchas stitches 36 and 31 which" extend through the openings 34 and 35vrespectively; These stitches are sufficiently tight to cause the innerand outer flaps to move as a unit, but are sufliciently loose to permitfree movement of the vest panels with respect thereto. The stitch 36 isshown as broken in Fig. 1 to permit the front flap to be pulled open toexpose the strips 28. It is to be understood that in use this flap liesflat against the vest panel 28 with the stitch 36 holding the inner flap38 and the outer flap 8 together.

The corset may also be provided with abdominal supports 48 and 4|, asshown in detail in Fig. 3, which may be secured to the edges of the vestpanels 28 and 2| and may extend backwardly over at least the firstpanels of the body portion.

In applying this corset, the body of the corset is wrapped around thewearer and the vest panels 28 and 2i are brought together and fastenedby means of the posts 24 and the straps 25. Sufficient force must beused to stretch the elastic strips .28 and 29 so as to cause the garmentto conform generally to the shape of the wearer and to be held firmly inplace. In adjusting the panels, the thumbs may, if desired, be extendedthrough the openings 34 and 35 soas to assist in applying the necessarytension to the elastic strips. It is to be understood that the thumbopenings may be used in other types of corsets for the same purpose.They may be particularly useful in back-lace corsets or in any lacecorset to permit the same to be grasped for pulling the parts togethenThese openings are preferably located near the lower ends of the stays,but may be placed at any other intermediate position.

After the vest panels have been joined, the garment is in the positionshown in Fig. l. The front panels may then be adjusted by applying thelace I I to the hooks l8 and exerting sufficient force to shape thegarment as desired. The lower parts of the front panels are preferablysecured by an elastic lace 15 which is passed through the eyelets ll.

It will be noted that as the front panels are pulled together by thelacings, they slide over the vest panels .28 and 2|. The inner flaps 38and 3|, being secured to the front flaps 8 and 8 at the top and bottomand also at an intermediate point by means of the stitches 36 and 31,are caused to slide with the outer flaps. The inner flaps areaccordingly prevented from buckling up or wrinkling and are caused tolie smooth against the flesh of the wearer. Furthermore, these flapsfully conceal the. elastic strips 28 and 29 and prevent the same fromcoming, in contact with the flesh. The inner flaps serve not only toprotect the elastic strips against perspiration and thereby increase thelife thereof, but also prevent the flesh from bulging in the openingsbetween the strips. The elastic strips may accordingly be spaced aswidely apart as desired without interfering with the effectiveness ofthe corset in controlling the flesh.

It is to be noted that the openings 34 and 35 provide stops for thestitches 36 and 31 and thereby limit the movement of the vest panelswith respect to the inner and outer flaps. This limits the amount ofstretch of the strips 34 and 35 and also ensures that the inner andouter flaps will at all times cover and conceal the strips. It is to beunderstood, of course, that a plurality of such openings and stitchesmay be placed along the free edges of the inner and outer flaps, asingle stitch located at the center of such edges hav-- stitches 36 and31.

terminate at'apoint to conceal the elastic strips 28- and-29 when thegarmentis laced up-but not to underlie the vest panels. In that eventthe inner andouter flaps may be secured together, as by stitches;between the strips 28 and 29 to form pockets in which said strips slide.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 the various parts of the garment aresimilar to that shown in Fig. l, with the exception of the openings 34and 36 in the vest panels and the corresponding In this embodiment theopenings and stitches are omitted and the inner flap 3!! is attached tothe edge of the vest panel 20 by means of an elastic strap 42. Thisstrap 62 exerts sufi'icient tension, after the vest has been adjusted asin Fig. 1, to cause the free edge of the inner flap 3D to follow themovement 'of.

the outer flap 8 as the garment is adjusted by lacing. The operation isthe same as that shown in Fig. 1 except that the inner flap is held in aflat condition by means of the elastic strap 42 instead of by the stitch36. It is to be understood, of course, that a plurality of straps 52 maybe unsnapped and folded back when desired. In

this embodiment the elastic strips 28 and 29 are omitted and the vestpanel 20 is attached to a fabric strip 48 by means of elastic laces Q9.The strip 58 is stitched or otherwise secured to the edge 5 of the bodyof the garment. In this embodiment a separable fastner 50 is provided inplace of the stitch 36 of Fig. 1 so as to permit the outer flap to bedetached for folding back. The garment is applied in the same manner asthe garment of Fig. l. The elastic lacing, however, is replaceable andmay be renewed when damaged or worn. Furthermore, the tension thereofmay be adjusted to suit the wearer. It is to be understood, of course,that the flaps in this embodiment may be stitched, if desired, or thatbuttons or other fasteners may be used in place of the snap fastenersshown.

In the garments above described, the vest por tion may be madecomparatively narrow, if desired, instead of extending substantially thefull length of the body as shown or it may be made in two or morevertically spaced sections, the arrangement being generally intended toprovide sufficient tension for holding the garment in place during thelacing operation. After the garment has been laced, the tension on thevest section is relieved and the elastic strips are not relied upon forholding the garment to the desired contour.

It is to be understood that the abdominal support may be omitted, ifdesired, or in certain instances may be extendedpo as to cover a greaterportion of the body. If desired, an elastic strap may be placed at thebottom of the garment to hold the hips. in any event, the vestfacilitates the positioning and holding of the garment while the same isbeing laced up.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been shownfor purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein as will be readilyapparent to a person skilled in the art. The invention is only to belimited in accordance with the following claims when-interpreted inviewof the prior art;

Iclaim:

1. In a corset of the type described, a body having an opening, atwo-part vest adapted to span said opening, elastic means securing saidvest to said body, separable fastening means for securing the two partsof said vest and holding said elastic means under tension, outer flapssecured. to said body to overlie said vest, said flaps being adapted tobe pulled together over said vest for securing the corset in position,inner flaps secured to said body to underlie said elastic means when thecorset is in wearing position so as to prevent the elastic means fromcontacting the flesh of the wearer, and connecting means causing theinner flaps to slide with said outer flaps over said vest as the outerflaps are pulled together so that the inner flaps are held fiat and areprevented from wrinkling due to adjustment of the corset.

2. A corset according to claim 1 in which the connecting means connectsthe free edges of said inner flaps to said outer flaps.

3. A corset according to claim 1 in which the connecting means connectsthe inner and outer flaps together at spaced points.

4. A corset according to claim 1 in which the connecting means joins theinner and outer flaps along their bottom and-top edges to form pocketsin which the vest slides.

'5.- A corset according to claim 1 in which the vest is provided withopenings extending circumferentially intermediate its top and bottomedges and the connecting means extends through said openings to securethe inner and outer flaps together.

6. A corset according to claim 1 in which the vest is provided withopenings extending circumferentially intermediate its top and bottomedges and the connecting means comprises stitches extending through saidopenings to secure the inner and outer flaps together.

7. A corset according to claim 1 in which the vest is provided withopenings extending circumferentially intermediate its top and bottom.

cumferentially intermediate its top and bottom edges and the connectingmeans comprises securing means extending through said openings to securethe inner and outer flaps together, said openings providing stops tolimit the sliding movement of said vest with respect to said flaps.

9. A corset according to claim 1 in which the vest is provided withopenings extending circumferentially intermediate its top and bottomedges and the connecting means comprises separable securing means at thetop and bottom edges of the inner and outer flaps and at said openings.

10. A corset according to claim'l in which the connecting meanscomprises elastic means joining the free edges of the inner flaps tothe, free edges of the vest.

11. A corset according to claim 1 in which the elastic means comprises areplaceable elastic lacing and the connecting means comprisesseparablesecuring means connecting the outer flap to 'the inner flap so that theouter flap may be 12. A corset according to claim 1 in which stays areprovided along the free edges of the inner and-outer flaps and theconnecting means joins said flaps at the top and bottom edges to formpockets in which the vest slides.

13. A corset according to claim 1 in which stays are provided along-fin:tree edges of the inner and outer flaps and the connecting means joinssaid flaps at the top and bottom edges and at an intermediate point toform pockets in which the vest slides.

JOSEPH J. KISPERT.

